Produce loader



Get. .3; 1939.

IA.'T. SPENCER, JR

PRODUCE LOADER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Filed May 5, 1957 INVENTOR fLZSjUGIZCGR/l. BY Q ATTORNEY NW MW Oct. 3, 1939. I T. SPENCER. JR 2,174,605

- PRODUCE LOADER I FiledMaY 5, 19:57 3 Sheets-Sheet 2' INVENTOR I A. Z. 579812061211:

Oct} 1939- A. T. SPENCER, JR 2,

PRODUCE LOADER Filed May 5; 1937' s Sheets-Sheet 3 fig- 3 I mvENTok A.TS]9e ncerJr Patented ct. 3, 193% srars ATE ill slates 1 Claim.

manner that with the forward movement of the truck, the loader which is disposed alongside the truck, will be correspondingly moved; and to construct the loader so that when the loader and truck are so connected the loader will discharge into the body of the truck. The necessity of a self-propelled and individually operated loader is therefore avoided, as well as the need of a numher of men to load the truck by hand, and the one truck driver can control the operation and steering of the loader, so that operating expenses are kept to a minimum.

The loader is designed to handle a great variety of products, particularly dry or green alfalfa, beans, corn for soddage, hay, and in fact all prodnets-which, when cut, are left in windrows or shocks in the field to be subsequently conveyed elsewhere.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensivev device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by meansvof such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the loader as attached to a truck and delivering into the body of the same.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a loader detached from the truck.

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional plan of a drive reversing unit detached.

Referring now more particularly to the charactors of reference on the drawings, the loader comprises a frame having rigid side beams'l supported adjacent their forward end on individually turnable wheels 2. At its rear end the frame is supported by a single centrally disposed caster wheel 3.

Upstanding from the frame at its rear end is a rectangular tower l, pivotally supported on the front of which as at 5, some distance from the top thereof, is the upper end of an endless conveyor 6 of the drag type and which is supported between rigid side frames E. The conveyor and its frames extend forwardly and down to a termination ahead of the beams t in normal clearance relation to the ground a certain distance. On their lower ends the frames carry 5 a conventional pick-up unit indicated at 8 and which is driven from the adjacent end of the con veyor 6 by suitable means such as a chain drive 9.

The conveyor is supported adjacent its lower end for both positive and yieldable vertical adjustment by means of horizontal beams i ll pivoted intermediate their ends on standards ii upstanding from the beams l at their forward end. The beams ID are connected at their forward end to the conveyor frames 7 by spring suspension links I 2. At their rear end said beams are swivelly connected to forwardly angled depending arms i3, preferably adjustable as to length and which radiate from a transverse shaft M journaled on the frame beams I. Uprtanding control lever i5 provided with a conventional type of pawl and quadrant unit I6 is secured'on one end of the shaft l4, preferably that end which is at the right hand side of the loader. Movement of the lever therefore positively raises or lowers the conveyor and pick-up unit, while the conveyor is capable of upward yielding movement on account of the swing suspension links I2 without disturbing the lever.

The upper end of the conveyor discharges for its full width ,onto the horizontal portion of a transverse endless drag conveyor fl mounted on the tower 4, and which extends some distance beyond the tower on the right hand side of the loader, in the form of an upwardly sloping portion Ila. This latter portion is supported in a discharge chute l8 pivoted at its tower end at 9. The vertical movement of the chute about its pivot mounting is controlled by side cables 20 passing about pulleys 2| at the top of the tower, and then down to and about small hand-rotated drums 22 mounted as a unit on the right hand side of the tower convenient to an operator standing on the ground. The chute is adapted to overhang and discharge into the body 23 of a motor truck '24 or similar vehicle which is disposed alongside and connected to the loader as will be seen.

The conveyors are driven from the wheels 2 by means of chain drives 25 between said wheels 50 and a transverse shaft 26 mounted on the beams I; there being a one-way clutch 21 interposed in the drive for each wheel, said clutchesbeing provided with any desired type of throw-out means such as indicated at 210 in Fig. 4.

' tower (see Fig. 2).

Another chain drive 35 connects the last named chain drive at the sprocket 33 with the upper end of the conveyor 6. It will thus be seen that by the interposition of the reverse gearing, the upper run of the conveyor 6 will be driven in an upward direction as is necessary.

Mounted within the gear box 34 are right angled beveled gears 36, one of which is connected to the sprocket 33 and the other to a chain drive 31 connected to the adjacent end of the cross conveyor 11. Said conveyor I1 is considerably narrower than conveyor 8, the bevel gears on the drive 31 being arranged so that the conveyor I1 will travel at a higher speed than the conveyor 8, so as not to become clogged with an accumulation of said conveyor 8.

The loader is connected to the truck on its left hand or driver's side by means of a rigid beam produce from A 38 which is removably and adjustably secured at one end on the bumper or other relatively rigid and strong part thereof by suitable means such as indicated at 39. At its other end the beam 38 is connected by a universal coupling 88 with the forward end of a draft yoke ll swivelly mounted on the forward end of the frame beams I for swinging movement in a vertical plane only. Intermediate the ends of said beam 38 a bracket 42 is mounted thereon for adjustment along the same. This bracket suspends the forward end of a compression beam 43 which extends rearwardly and in convergingrelation to the truck to a connection asat H with the adjacent main side frame 85 of the truck at a convenient point toward the rear thereof (see Fig. 1). The length of the beam 38 is such that the chute 18 overhangs the body of the truck some distance to properly discharge into the same, and of course by reason of the adjustable connection of said beam with the truck, the transverse spacing of the loader from the truck may be adjusted to suit the needs of trucks of different body widths.

the beam 38 with the loader,

The height of the point of discharge of the chute into the truck, and depending on the height of the body may be regulated by means of the suspension cables 28.

As the truck moves ahead. the loader likewise advances, picking up the produce on the ground in its path and delivering the same to the body of the truck. Due to the universal connection of ground undulations have notendency to cause any binding, and by the use of the rear supporting caster wheel of the loader. the latter will maintain itself in properly parallel relation to the truck without any side drag and regardless of the steering of the truck to one side or the othe When the loader is merely being transported it may be connected behind the truck by the yoke 4|. The clutches 21 are then of course disengaged so that the conveyors will not be driven. Also the lever I8 is moved to raise the pick-up unit well clear of the ground.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claim. 4

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: a M

In combination, a steerable draft vehicle having a load receiving body, a material pick-up implement disposed alongside and in spaced relation to the vehicle and having means to deliver material picked upinto the body thereof, a draft beam rigidly secured on and projecting laterally from the front end of the vehicle, a flexible connection between the outer end of the beam and the front end of the implement; a pair of nonsteerable wheels supporting the implement intermediate its ends and a swivel caster wheel supporting the implement adjacent its rear end whereby to facilitate turning of the implement with the draft vehicle when the latter is steered.

ALLAN '1. SPENCER, Jn. 

